Beer-pipe cleaner



(No Model.)

J. BRAUN. BEER PIPE GLEANER.

Patented Aug. 11, 1896;

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NITED STATES JOSEPH BRAUN, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

BEER-PIPE CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,600, dated August 11, 18'96.

Application filed October 26, 1895. Serial No. 566,943. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BRAUN, of Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Faucet-Oleanin g Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in faucet-cleanin g apparatus, more especially designed for cleaning internally the faucet or faucets connected with a beer keg or cask immediately upon drawing off the last quantity of beer in said cask or container, and my apparatus is more especially designed for use in bar-rooms or restaurants in connection with the air-pump employed in the tapping operation of the keg or cask within the refrigerator of said room or restaurant, the obj ect being to provide means whereby the faucet or faucets and pipe connecting the faucet or faucets with the keg or cask can be quickly and conveniently cleaned internally immediately upon drawing off the last quancity of beer in the keg or cask.

W'ith this object in view my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing exhibits a perspective, partly in section, of a portion of a refrigerator used in a bar-room or restaurant and my improved apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, A represents the refrigerator; B, a keg or cask within the refrigerator; C, the bung extending into said keg or cask through the upper head of the latter; E, the dischargin -faucet suitably secured to the outer and forward side of the refrigerator; E, a pipe extending inwardly from and into the refrigerator from said faucet; G, a flexible tube connecting pipe E with the passage-way through a stop-cock H, connected with the pipe H, that extends downwardly through bung 0 into the lower end of the keg or cask and is provided, at its lower end, with any suitable number of lateral holes h, communicating with the interior of the keg or cask. Pipe H extends centrally through the passage-way O in the lower portion of bung C, so that an annular chamber is formed within said hung around pipe H, and chamber 0, by means of a tubular con nection or passage-way I, is connected with the discharging end or outlet of the air-pump K, employed in forcing air under pressure into the keg or cask preparatory to drawing beer or liquid contained in the keg or cask from the discharging-faucet E. A stop-cock l is arranged in the line of passageway 1 adjacent to the outlet of the air-pump, and the operating-stem I of said stop-cock extends outwardly through the adjacent wall of the refrigerator and terminates at its outer extremity at the outer side of the refrigerator in a crank or handle 1 Passageqvay I is preferably constructed as follows: The casing of bung O is provided with a lateral hole 0 that communicates at its inner endwith the passage-way 0 through the bung, and is flanged outwardly at its outer end, as at 0 Two flexible tubes (marked 1 and 2, respectively) extend from stop-cock I and hole 0 respectively, toward each other, and a T M is interposed between tubes 1 and 2 and also connects with a tube or pipe 0, that extends outwardly through the refrigerator and, at the outer side of the refrigerator, is shown provided with a valve or stop-cock 0. That arm of the T that connects with tube 2 is provided with a valve m. A flexible tube P connects the discharging-spout of faucet E with the upper end of a pipe or tube Q, that extends downwardly through bung R, fitted into the mouth or neck of a jug or other suitable receptacle S. Pipe Q, extends centrally through the passage-way R in bung B into the lower end of jug or receptacle S and, at its lower end, is provided with any suitable number of lateral holes Q, communicating with the interior of the j ug or receptacle. The annular chamber formed around pipe Q within bung R is in open relation with one end of a flexible tube T, that at its opposite end is suitably connected with tube or pipe 0 at stop-cock O, and communication between pipe or tube 0 and flexible tube T is controlled by means of said stopcock.

To clean faucet E and the passage-wayleading from said faucet to the keg or cask, internally, immediately after drawing off all of the contents of the keg or cask and to quickly and conveniently accommodate the scouring or cleansing of the parts referred to at the time indicated, I provide the jug or receptacle S and the connections between said receptacle and the discharging-faucet and between the said receptacle and the air passage-way leading from the air-pump, as hereinbefore described, and having provided jug or receptacle S internally with a suitable scouring liquid, such, for instance, as hot water hav ing sal-soda in solution, I cut off the supply of air to the keg or cask from the air-pump by closing valve m, and open valve 0, whereupon any air discharged from the airpump will pass through tube 1 of passageway I, through T M, into pipe or tube 0, and thence to and through tube T and through bung B into jug or receptacle S, resulting in the forcing of scouring liquid from said receptacle into pipe Q, up said pipe into tube P, and through the latter into and successively through faucet E, pipe E, tube G, and pipe H into keg or cask B, whereupon pipe Q, bung R, and tube T- are disconnected from jug or receptacle S and connected with a jug or receptacle WV, containing cold or clear water, which is in turn forced through and rinses members E, E, G, and H in the same manner as employed in scouring said parts, and the keg or cask B and the scouring liquid and the rinsing liquid received thereby in the manner hereinbefore indicated are then removed from the refrigerator and a full or untapped keg or cask placed in position for subsequent use, and tube P is removed from the discharging-faucet until another keg or cask has been emptied. Of course, immediately preparatory to the tapping of a new keg or cask valve m is opened and valve 0 closed.

I would also remark that T M and connected pipe or tube 0 might be dispensed with and one tube 3 (shown in dotted lines) substituted for the two tubes 1 and 2, in which case tube T would be connected directly with the outlet of the pump by means of a pipe or tube 4, provided at its discharging end, and outside of the refrigerator, with a valved stopcock 5 for controlling communication between the pump and tube T, and in this case stopcock I would of course be closed during the cleaning operation. I would therefore have it understood that my invention involves, broadly, the combination, with the discharging-faueet and connected pipe, of a closed receptacle adapted to receive the scouring or cleaning liquid, means for supplying air under pressure to said receptacle, and another passage-way leading from the lower portion of said receptacle to and communicating with the discharging-spout of the faucet, whereby, when the passage-way through the faucet is uninterrupted, scouring or cleaning liquid can be forced into and through the faucet and connected pipe into the keg or cask connected with said pipe.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination with the pump, keg or cask B and faucet E arranged substantially as indicated, a passage-way for establishing communication between the lower portion of the keg or cask and the passage-way through the faucet, and a valve for interrupting communication between the pump and chamber of the keg or cask, of a tube or pipe 0 connected, at one end, with the passage-way leading from the pump, the cleaning-receptacle S, the passageway communicating with the lower portion of said receptacle and removably connected with the dischargingspout of the faucet, another passage-way communicating with the upper portion of said receptacle and connected with the aforesaid tube or pipe 0, and a valve for interrupting communication through said last-mentioned passage-way, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with the pump, keg or cask B, and faucet E, arranged substantially as indicated; a passage-way for establishing communication between the lower portion of the keg or cask and the passage-way through the faucet; another passage-way between the outlet of the pump and upper portion of the chamber of the keg or cask, and comprising the two tubes 1 and 2 connected with the pump and the keg or cask, respectively; the T M connecting said tubes with each other, and the member of the T engaging tube 2 being provided with a valve m: of a tube or pipe 0 communicating with the interior of the T; the cleaning-receptacle S; the passageway communicating with the lower portion of said receptacle and removably connected with the discharging-spout of the faucet; another passage-way communicating with the upper portion of said receptacle and connected with the aforesaid tube or pipe 0, and a valve for controlling communication between the aforesaid T and cleaning-receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 15th day of October, 1895.

JOSEPH BRAUN.

WVitnesses C. H. DORER, ELLA E. TILDEN.

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